U.S. patent application number 11/783200 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-15 for compact filter comprising a square seal.
This patent application is currently assigned to MANN & HUMMEL GmbH. Invention is credited to Johannes Lampert, Andreas Pelz.
Application Number | 20070261662 11/783200 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35264456 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070261662 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lampert; Johannes ; et
al. |
November 15, 2007 |
Compact filter comprising a square seal
Abstract
A filter element comprising a spirally wound filter through
which a fluid to be filtered flows axially and which is provided
with a mounting ring on the circumference of the wound filter
secured to the wound filter by a welded, adhesive, extruded or
fused joint. The mounting ring is provided with a circumferential
profiled seal which engages a housing in which the filter element
is installed to provide a seal between an unfiltered fluid side of
the filter element and a filtered fluid side of the filter
element.
Inventors: |
Lampert; Johannes; (Remseck,
DE) ; Pelz; Andreas; (Markgroeningen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Assignee: |
MANN & HUMMEL GmbH
Ludwigsburg
DE
|
Family ID: |
35264456 |
Appl. No.: |
11/783200 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP05/54171 |
Aug 24, 2005 |
|
|
|
11783200 |
Apr 6, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/198E ;
55/428; 55/466 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2279/60 20130101;
B01D 46/10 20130101; B01D 2265/04 20130101; B01D 2265/028 20130101;
B01D 2271/027 20130101; B01D 46/527 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/198.00E ;
055/428; 055/466 |
International
Class: |
B01D 46/52 20060101
B01D046/52 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 8, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 049,403.7 |
Claims
1. A filter element comprising a wound filter with axial flow
channels, said filter element having a mounting ring around its
circumference secured to the wound filter by a welded, bonded,
extruded or fused connection, wherein the mounting ring carries a
circumferential profiled seal which, when the filter element is
installed in a housing, engages the housing to provide a seal
between an unfiltered fluid side of the filter element and a
filtered fluid side of the filter element.
2. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filter
element is mounted in an air intake tract of an internal combustion
engine.
3. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter
element is an air filter element.
4. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein in that the
profiled seal has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional
configuration and is supported against a circumferential collar of
the mounting ring.
5. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profiled
seal is produced together with the mounting ring in a two-component
injection molding process.
6. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal has an
axial sealing action.
7. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal has a
radial sealing action.
8. A filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal has
both an axial sealing action and a radial sealing action.
9. A filter system for a filter element as claimed in claim 1,
comprising a housing with at least two housing parts assembled to
each other, wherein the housing can be separated in the area where
the filter element is mounted, and wherein the profiled seal is
clamped between the assembled housing parts.
10. A filter system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the housing
parts are connected by latching or clamping closures.
11. A filter system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the housing is
provided with a connection fitting on the filtered fluid side for
attaching a filtered fluid duct, and wherein the junction between
the filter element and the connection fitting is substantially
conical.
12. A filter system as claimed in claim 9, wherein in the area
where the filter element is mounted, the housing parts contact each
other with a flange or web surface.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of international patent
application no. PCT/EP2005/054171, filed Aug. 24, 2005 designating
the United States of America and published in German on Apr. 20,
2006 as WO 2006/040214, the entire disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference. Priority is claimed based on
Federal Republic of Germany patent application no. 10 2004
049,403.7, filed Oct. 8, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a filter element comprising a
spirally wound filter through which a fluid to be filtered flows
axially.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,602 B2 describes an air filter in a
cylindrical air filter housing with a filter element designed for
axial flow. At one axial end face in the area of the inflow side of
the filter, the holding space for receiving the filter in the
filter housing can be closed by a housing cover. To replace the
filter element, the cover is detached, and the filter element can
then be axially removed from the holding space and replaced by a
new filter element.
[0004] This embodiment has the disadvantage that the housing cover
must be removed in the inflow area to replace the filter element,
which requires the entire filter housing to be first removed from
its installation position because the housing cover is connected to
the inflow lines for the air to be filtered. Replacing the filter
element therefore requires a considerable amount of effort. This
increases the servicing time and causes substantial servicing
costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the invention is to provide an improved
spirally wound, axial flow filter element.
[0006] Another object of the invention is to provide a structurally
simple filter with a filter element that can be serviced
economically.
[0007] A further object of the invention is to provide a filter
element which improves the use of space within a filter housing in
which the filter element is installed.
[0008] Yet another object of the invention is to provide an
improved filter system which incorporates a filter element
according to the invention.
[0009] These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention by providing a filter element comprising a wound
filter with axial flow channels, said filter element having a
mounting ring around its circumference secured to the wound filter
by a welded, bonded, extruded or fused connection, wherein the
mounting ring carries a circumferential profiled seal which, when
the filter element is installed in a housing, engages the housing
to provide a seal between an unfiltered fluid side of the filter
element and a filtered fluid side of the filter element.
[0010] In a further aspect of the invention, the objects are also
achieved by providing a filter system for a filter element in
accordance with the present invention, comprising a housing with at
least two housing parts assembled to each other, wherein the
housing can be separated in the area where the filter element is
mounted, and wherein the profiled seal is clamped between the
assembled housing parts.
[0011] In accordance with the invention the filter element is
connected to a mounting ring. This mounting ring may be secured to
the filter medium constructed as a wound filter by a welded,
bonded, extruded or fused connection. A circumferential profiled
seal is disposed on the mounting ring to ensure sealing action in
conjunction with the housing between the unfiltered air side and
the filtered air side. Using a mounting ring, which can be adapted
to the structure of the filter element with relative ease, makes it
possible to standardize the housing structure. For example,
smaller, longer or shorter filter elements can be installed in a
housing with a given diameter. Furthermore, the structure of the
mounting ring enables a very simple design of the profiled
seal.
[0012] One advantageous embodiment provides for a rectangular seal
design that is supported against a circumferential collar of the
mounting ring. It is of course also possible to bond the profiled
seal to the mounting ring.
[0013] In another embodiment it is proposed to produce the mounting
ring in a two-component injection molding process and to form the
profiled seal on the ring as the second component. The profiled
seal may advantageously seal axially or radially. It is also
possible to achieve both a radial and an axial seal
simultaneously.
[0014] The housing for the filter system advantageously comprises
two housing parts which can be separated in the mounting area of
the filter element. The profiled seal can be clamped between the
two housing parts and ensures that no unfiltered air is drawn in
through the contact area between the housing parts.
[0015] The housing parts are advantageously interconnected by
latching or clamping closures. They can, of course, also be screwed
together.
[0016] In yet another advantageous embodiment, the housing parts
have one or more contact surfaces in the area where the filter
element is fastened. This means that the two housing parts lie
against one another in the axial direction as they are clamped
together, while at the same time the seal is located between the
two housing parts and the sealing action is achieved with a defined
compression.
[0017] These and other features of preferred embodiments of the
invention, in addition to being set forth in the claims, are also
disclosed in the specification and/or the drawings, and the
individual features each may be implemented in embodiments of the
invention either alone or in the form of subcombinations of two or
more features and can be applied to other fields of use and may
constitute advantageous, separately protectable constructions for
which protection is also claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention will be described in greater detail
hereinafter with reference to illustrative preferred embodiments
shown in the accompanying drawing figures, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a filter system incorporating
a filter element according to the present invention, and
[0020] FIG. 2 is a sectional detail view of the filter system
depicted in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The filter system according to FIG. 1 comprises a housing 10
with a substantially concentric, oval or elliptical design. This
housing 10 has an unfiltered air inlet 11 coupled to an unfiltered
air intake fitting, which is not depicted here. A housing cover 13
is provided on the filtered air side 12. This cover also has a
connection fitting 14, to which a filtered air line can be
connected. A filter element 15 is located within the housing 10.
This element corresponds to that described in WO 2004-020075, for
example. The air flows through the filter element in the direction
of arrow 16, and the filtered air leaves the filter element axially
on the filtered air side 12.
[0022] The connecting area 17, which extends over the entire
circumference of the filter system, comprises both the fastening of
the filter element 15 and the connection between the housing 10 and
the housing cover 13.
[0023] This connection area is illustrated in greater detail in
FIG. 2. Like components are identified by the same reference
numerals. The housing 10 with its circumferential rim 18 engages a
circumferential groove 19 of the housing cover 13. The rim 18 does
not extend all the way to the bottom of the groove but leaves a
certain tolerance distance X. The housing cover 13 has a contact
surface 20, which also extends circumferentially and which serves
to support a mounting ring 21.
[0024] The mounting ring 21 serves to receive the filter element
15. On its side facing the filter element, it has a shoulder 22
into which the filter element is bonded or welded. This shoulder
affects the filtering area of the filter element only slightly. The
mounting ring 21 is furthermore provided with a circumferential
bead 23. A profiled seal 24 is supported against this bead. This
seal is substantially rectangular and is fixed in a groove 25 of
the mounting ring 21. To make it easier to mount the profiled seal
24 to the mounting ring 21, an inclined insertion surface 26 is
provided, over which the profiled seal 24 can be slipped.
[0025] On its end face opposite the filter element 15, the mounting
ring 21 is supported against the contact surface 20, as mentioned
above. This contacting between the mounting ring 21 and the housing
cover 13 prevents the profiled seal 24 from being deformed if the
housing cover 13 and the housing 10 are connected with excessive
pressing force. The two parts are connected by means of clamping
closures 27 disposed along the circumference of the housing 10 (see
FIG. 1).
[0026] It is also possible to arrange a seal in the area of the
contact surface 20 on the mounting ring 21. In this case,
contacting occurs between the housing cover 13 and the mounting
ring 21 in the area of the bead 23 in conjunction with the groove
side 28. The profiled seal 24 seals both axially and radially. The
seal can of course also be designed to seal only axially.
[0027] The foregoing description and examples have been set forth
merely to illustrate the invention and are not intended to be
limiting. Since modifications of the described embodiments
incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur
to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed
broadly to include all variations within the scope of the appended
claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *